New Beginning Chapter Books for Ages 6 to 9

I’m thrilled to introduce you to these new beginning chapter books! Quirky, heartwarming, historical, this list has something for everyone…

Beginning Chapter Books for Ages 6 to 9

Monday into the Cave of Thieves (Total Mayhem #1) by Ralph Lazar
Wild and quirky, this un-put-downable adventure filled with illustrations is perfect for you if you like good vs. evil adventures where kid power saves the day! Dash Candoo’s Monday is one crazy adventure after another with Devil Cat attacks, a quadcycle pursuit, a math class secret tunnel, stolen perfume, and so much more. I’m a big fan of this exciting, readable new chapter book and look forward to more books in the entertaining new series. (P.S. And it’s funny with zero potty humor!)

Cranky Chicken by Katherine Battersby
Learn how Cranky Chicken and a worm named Speedy become friends when Cranky “saves” Speedy from a leaf! Subsequent stories with light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek humor show our new friends, Worm and Cranky Chicken, working together to figure out how to be best-feathered friends –even though Worm doesn’t have feathers. Humor and heart — this is a delightful graphic novel that is sure to be a new favorite.

Good Dog by Cam Higgins, illustrated by Ariel Landy
What a sweet beginning illustrated chapter book written from Bo the dog’s point of view! Enthusiastic and full of personality, Bo adores his loving family and his life on the farm. But he worries when his dog tag goes missing. He searches the farm with the help of all the farm animals and his spider friends help him find it. Your readers will love this new series with a darling doggie narrator! Get the first 4 books in 1!

Mrs. Frogbottom’s Field Trips I Want My Mummy by Nancy Krulik
Welcome to 4th grade with a teacher who isn’t like any other teachers…mostly because of her magic map that transports the entire class all over the world. In this story, Mrs. Frogbottom takes the class to Egypt — and our narrator, Tony, does not like it one bit, not the black cat following them, not that his friend Sofia disappears and not that Aiden wanders into a tomb where the friends get trapped! Camels, too much sand, pyramids, tombs, and an actual mummy make this terrified student very glad to go back home. This educational adventure series is off to a great start. Next stop, Scotland. 

Our Principal is a Scaredy-Cat by Stephanie Calmenson, illustrated by Aaron Blecha
Get ready for a silly story with an edge of scary! The principal, Mr. Bundt, finds a hat on the way to school. He never realizes (*but readers do) that the hat belongs to someone — and that someone wants it back. Scared at the voice who demands the hat’s return, he asks the magician for help. Luckily, the (skeleton) owner gets his hat back and stops haunting Mr. Bundt. Goofy and fun.

Nugget and Hot Dog by Jason Tharp
Perfect for readers who like silliness, puns, and good conquering evil, this is the story of two friends, Dog and Nugget, who live in Gastropolis and start a kindness club to fight evil like the dastardly Dijon Mustard. (NOTE: This book reads more like a beginning chapter book than an early reader because of the complex vocabulary so even though it says Level 2, I disagree with the leveling.)

The Odyssey and Henry’s Box: The Adventures of Charlie & Baxter by Sarah J. Aris, illustrated by Sarah Nieves
Siblings find a robot in their basement and use their coding ability to make it time travel back to 1849 where they help Henry “Box” Brown ship himself out of slavery. I’m excited to see kids of color in a historical time travel book!

Geraldine Pu and Her Lunch Box, Too by Maggie P. Chang
In a familiar story (already in many picture books), this beginning graphic novel shows the hurt and angry feelings that happen when a boy makes fun of Geraldine’s lunch. Initially, Geraldine feels awful and wants to bring something different to eat but she eventually embraces her favorite foods prepared by her Amah and helps another boy do the same — even when other kids say it’s stinky. A wonderful back-to-school graphic novel that shows the importance of pride in your own identity and acceptance of differences.